[Signature] W.W. James, fils de mm James 6th Sept. 1900 from Cousin Elizabeth York. Formerly belonging to Uncle Jim James of Kingsthorpe whom she thinks he resembles somewhat his uncle Compton James now in Philadelphia USA.

“Would you please keep it down up there??? I’m trying to sleep. This is Norma.” – the stunted mutterings of my jerkass landlady about the time things were about to get shockingly, unforgivably violent!

didn’t wrap this, not a proper present ‘cos bought it from 2nd hand shop, but you can’t have a present that does not include a book!

It’s a book I just finished. It’s not in any way “significant” (i.e. it’s partly about a mother/daughter relationship, but it’s not a parallel or anything). In fact it’s fairly devastating; I found it so distressing I wanted to give up after the first 1/3, but was trapped on a train with it, and not reading wd have

been more distressing! In the end it was worth it, some sort of closure, and it’s a memoir, the writer’s life; written so lyrically, spare + forgiving, it is going to stay with me. But if you don’t want to read it, I can empathize.

[9. JEEVES AND THE OLD SCHOOL CHUM] Unusual setting, this – Norfolk and country race meeting. A gem of a story.

[Inside back cover: Notes to specific passages]

[Marked passage P.198-199.]

“It was rash. Looking back, I can see that. One of the first lessons life teaches us is that on these occasions of back-chat between the delicately-nurtured a man should retire into the offing, curl up in a ball, and imitate the prudent tactics of the opossum, which, when danger is in the air, pretends to be dead, frequently going to the length of hanging out crêpe and instructing its friends to stand round and say what a pity it all is…”

Not that benite[d? banal?] saying that regurjitates [sic] itself for to [sic] many times, I have bought this present with hope’s [sic] that it can can add another stepping block for your quest for truth. But fervently hope it doesn’t cause confusion and distress.

But fuck it! Your [sic] the only friend that has a present, so that should meet some kind of warmth.